Speedliter's Handbook: Light of the World

Ambient light, the light around us, comes from many sources. Ambient light also shapes our emotions and sense of time. Developing a keen awareness of the light around you is a critical skill to becoming a Speedliter.

This chapter is from the book

Figure 4.1 There are two types of light in a flash photograph—the light that is already there and the light produced by the Speedlite. In this photo, the sun is providing the ambient light and a pair of Speedlites are providing the flash. Can you tell which is which? The sunlight is behind Tony on the left side of the frame. The Speedlites are behind the camera and provide a quality of light that blends naturally with the sun. To read the details about how this photo was made, head to page 304.

The Short Version

We do not often think about the light around us. We usually take it for granted, as in, "The sun comes up, crosses the sky, and goes down." Or we may be concerned with other matters, as in, "I'm supposed to get milk, eggs, and bread. Now where does this store hide the bread?"

Ambient light, the light around us, comes from many sources. Ambient light also shapes our emotions and sense of time. Developing a keen awareness of the light around you is a critical skill to becoming a Speedliter.